Leaving
by CaRiNeSs
Summary: Caleb's thoughts as he goes to Arizona.  Will be a two-shot!
1. Chapter 1

My latest addiction has been Pretty Little Liars and while I know I have other stories I should be working on, this one wouldn't leave me alone. I am a huge Haleb fan and I wanted a little insight as to why Caleb is leaving and how far he can get before he realizes he messed up.

This is going to be a 2-shot. Was going to be a 1-shot but got kinda long. I am working on the 2nd part and hope to have it up tomorrow before the season finale airs.

Please review and lemme know what you think! It's unbeta'd and I own nothing!

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Leaving

Part 1

It had been just over 46 hours when Caleb finally stepped off the 70s model greyhound bus. He stretched as his mind wandered back over his trip. The cramped seats with swirling neon colors had made him dizzy. He did not enjoy being around large droves of people, especially the robust lady in her late 50s that had asked if he was on his way to Cougartown. Candy, as she had introduced herself, wore a smirk on her face and had a twinkle in her eye that screamed she would eat him up at the first chance she got. The tight spandex dress she wore was hot pink and only came to mid thigh when standing. When she sat down, it road up even more and Caleb just knew she wasn't wearing anything underneath. That thought alone made him shiver.

He had done the best he could to turn towards the isle during his journey but the bald man on his right with drool dripping from his chin who kept murdering about the 'end of days' was not much better. He had been late getting on the bus and had reluctantly taken the only seat left. They had stopped a few times along the way but every time he got back on the bus, he somehow managed to be seated between Candy and the man he had dubbed 'Crazy-Drool-Guy'. He knew it was his penance for being so stupid and walking out on her.

Hanna. It hurt to even think her name. Hanna deserved better than him and he knew it. The look on her face as he had boarded that bus nearly two days ago tore his heart out. The entire trip to Arizona had been spent with this gut wrenching feeling that he had screwed up and left the only person that had ever meant anything to him. And for what? Memories of his mother that were probably only seen through Rose colored glasses anyway? She had walked out on him when he was a child and never looked back. Why couldn't he do the same?

He knew Arizona was a long shot. He had thought he was ready to take it but as the screeching wheels stopped at a dusty bus station for what felt like the 1000th time that day, a nagging feeling reminded him once again of the mistake he was making. Caleb had followed the other passengers off the bus in Nowhere, Nebraska and into the aged station. He tossed the homeless man sitting by the front entrance a few bills, remembering when he had been in the same position. He didn't have much but if someone like Hanna could do so much for him, he figured he should pay it forward in any way he could.

Hearing his stomach growl he headed towards the food venue. Taking a bag of chips and a cup of coffee towards the cashier at the make-shift cafeteria, Caleb figured he had an hour to kill before getting on the next train and starting the last leg of his voyage to Arizona. With determination to follow through with the choice he had made, he pushed the clawing feeling he was messing up down again and took in his surroundings.

A couple in front of him was buying food for themselves and the little girl that was fast asleep over her father's shoulder. A small doll's head stuck out beside the child's blonde hair. Caleb noticed that the doll had a crown upon its golden locks and a hint of a smile graced his lips as he looked at the Princess.

A thought crossed his mind of Hanna being a little blonde headed girl with dolls and an adorable grin on her face before he shook it from his head. He hadn't seen any pictures of Hanna's childhood around the Marin house while living there and he wasn't quite sure why. From what Hanna had told him, he knew she hadn't had the greatest childhood but he knew there was love, at least from her mother. That thought drove another stake into his heart as he thought of the love or lack thereof from his own mother.

"Are you ready?" The cashier called to him, bringing from his thoughts. It seemed that everything and anything brought the blonde woman into his mind. Maybe it was a good thing that he had left her before he could hurt her or her him. They had both had disappointments in their life and there was no reason why they should be each others.

Something told him that he had disappointed her though. He had somehow thought that if she just knew how he felt, if she just knew that he loved her then she would come back and they would work it out. But the look on her face as he had boarded the bus had reflected that it wasn't enough.

Maybe too many men had walked out of her life before him. Caleb knew her father wasn't around and Ashley Marin had told him the same thing. Had he just walked out on her without really trying? She had still looked so hurt and he could only think of two reasons for that. She either wasn't in love with him or she didn't really believe him.

_Why didn't I tell her in person? _Caleb thought as he paid for this meager meal and walked back towards the minute tables that were squished into a small corner of the over crowded bus station.

The answer to that was as clear as the answer to why he was seeing Hanna in every direction he looked. He wasn't just in love with her, he was meant for her. Maybe that was what had scared the shit out of him and why it was just a little too easy to walk away. He wasn't a stranger to a one night stand and had had his fair share of relationships in the past but Hanna wasn't just another notch in his bedpost. Somehow she had gotten so far past his defenses that she had attached his heart without him even knowing.

He had thought that he had tried at the time but looking back on his actions, he given up entirely too quickly because it was the easy thing to do. He wasn't looking for his soul mate and sure as hell didn't expect to find her at the age of seventeen while passing through Rosewood, Pennsylvania. It was crazy!

"Sugarbear." Candy's southern drawl brought his mind back to the present and the recognition that the bus station was clearing out. "Time to get back on that bus." Candy cooed as her ample cleavage was close to bursting out of the top of her dress while she leaned over the table towards Caleb.

"Thanks." Caleb got to his feet and walked towards the door as a station worker called that this was in fact the final call for bus number 32 headed through Colorado and then on to Tempe, Arizona. He wouldn't have to switch buses again for the rest of the ride.

Caleb looked sideways as Candy was talking a mile a minute about how she had been in New York trying her luck as an actress but decided that thirty-five was just too old to be hanging on to that dream and how she was going back home in Arizona where she was from. Caleb rolled his eyes at the idea that she was only thirty-five but she didn't seem to notice, as usual, that he wasn't paying per much attention.

Candy boarded the bus just ahead of him but Caleb hesitated for some reason. Just as he had decided he was doing the right think in boarding, he turned and saw the little princess doll that the girl from before had been holding laying on the grass a few feet away from him. He scanned the area but didn't see the little girl or her parents.

He walked over to the doll that was lying beside the next bus and looked around again. Just as he picked up the doll, the little girl who owned it ran off the bus towards him. "Mr. Mr! You found her!" The girl smiled and reached for the doll.

Caleb nodded and handed the little princess back to the girl. The girl's father reached the pair just as she crushed the doll to her chest. "Daddy! He found Emily!" She turned to her father who picked her and the doll up in his arms.

"Hanna, you know you shouldn't run off like that!" the father told the girl, causing Caleb's breath to catch in his throat.

"But Daddy, I had lost Emily. But he found her for me." She turned and pointed towards Caleb with a toothless grin on her face.

The father smiled at Caleb and thanked him. Caleb just nodded as he had yet to regain his voice. The father and daughter then turned and re-boarded the bus. Caleb could hear the farther going over the rules of staying close to him or her mother with the small child as they disappeared into the waiting vehicle.

Her name had been Hanna. If that wasn't a sign that he was messing everything up then Caleb didn't know what was. Just like that he made a last minute decision and headed back into the bus station.

"I need a ticket to Rosewood, Pennsylvania" he demanded from the clerk. He pulled out the small amount of cash he had left and hoped it was enough to cover the return trip. It had to be because he wasn't ready to give up on Hanna or what they could have without a fight.

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What'd ya think? Is anyone else in love with the Caleb/Hanna pairing?


	2. Chapter 2

I have had this mostly done for a while but haven't had time to update! I am so sorry! Thanks for reading :)

This is the 2nd and last part...hope you like it...let me know what you think...

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Leaving

Chapter 2

It had only taken a little over a day to make it back to Rosewood. Caleb was grateful that the bus back did not stop at every single po-dunk little town on the drive this time as it had on his journey out of Pennsylvania.

The ride back to Rosewood had been surprisingly quiet. He had had the entire row of seats to himself for the entire journey and only had to change buses once. Things were already looking up for him.

Caleb had not planned on coming back to Rosewood so soon, if ever, but now that he was back, he was glad. He had only been away for about 3 days but coming here already felt like being home.

As Caleb walked down the deserted streets he looked at his watch. It was the middle of the night but he had no more money and no place to go except to Hanna's house.

Once he reached the front door of her house, he hesitated. He wasn't sure what he should say even thought he had gone over it about 10,000 times on the bus ride. He wanted to make sure it was perfect. He also didn't want to wake up Hanna or her mother so he decided to go around the back and wait on her patio until morning.

What seemed like only minutes later but had to be hours, Caleb was brought out of his fitful sleep by someone shaking his shoulder.

"You're back." Ashley motioned towards the open door beside them. "Coffee?"

Caleb nodded and followed her back inside. He knew he needed to say something but he wasn't sure what.

"I thought you left." Hanna's mother filled up a mug and placed it on the bar in front of where Caleb was standing. She motioned for him to sit down and then refilled her own glass.

"I had. Got to Nebraska before I realized how bad I was messing up."

"I told you not to leave without telling her goodbye. Why should I let you talk to her now?"

"I tried to talk to her at the festival but her friend told me she didn't want to see me. I left her that note but you're right, I should have talked to her in person. How is she?"

"She's doing okay." Ashley didn't want to let Caleb in on the fact that Hanna had been crushed since he walked out on her. She thought Caleb was a good guy but didn't want to give him that power over her daughter.

"Ms. Marin, I really want to try to make it up to her. I walked away without giving us a fair chance and without fighting for her. She is a good person and deserves better than me but somehow she has made me feel things I never have before. She means a lot to me."

"I told you before that I would make your life miserable if you hurt her. I didn't do a good job in that but I think it was because I saw how much you cared about her. I'm not kidding this time though. I made a mistake once but I won't again. I think Hanna really cares about you or I would make you leave. This is your one and only chance that you are only getting because you came back. Don't walk out on her again."

"Yes ma'am. Is she awake? Can I talk to her?"

"She stayed at Emily's last night so she won't be back before school starts. You can get ready here and I will give you a ride to school if you want." Ashley scrunched up her nose and the smell of the boy sitting across from her.

"Yeah, that'd be great. Not really a place to shower on the road."

"You have twenty minutes before I leave. I'm not saying you can stay here, that will be up to Hanna. If she agrees then you know where the guest bedroom is."

"Thank you Ms. Marin." Caleb nodded, noticing she did not tell him to call her Ashley. He supposed he had lost that privilege.

He had at least made the first step in getting back in good with her mother, now he just had to figure out how to make it up to Hanna.

Hanna's mother dropped Caleb off at school and he sighed as he looked up at the place. This was another place he hadn't expected to be but at least it was where Hanna was.

He looked around for an easy mark as he stepped through the double doors back into Rosewood High; he needed some cash and fast. Spotting a freshman he walked over and offered to enable the tethering option on his phone so that he could connect his laptop to the internet.

_Easy money, _Caleb thought and then took out his cell phone. Fortunately he hadn't been gone long enough for people to question where he had gone or why he was back. Not that anyone would notice his presence either way.

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Hanna sat down in Mr. Fitz class and waited for the bell to ring. Another of Shakespeare's classics was in store for the day and Hanna felt glum. Why couldn't they be reading a story about shopping instead of unrequited love? Or better yet, why couldn't she be shopping instead of sitting in English class.

She had drowned out the first fifteen minutes or so when there was a knock on the door. Still ignoring what was going on, Hanna only looked up when Aria kicked her chair. "What?" She said loudly and then noticed the entire classroom looking at her.

"Those are for you." Aria whispered then pointed to the flowers that had just been brought into the classroom. The huge bouquet of yellow tulips was large enough to cover the face of the delivery man but she would recognize those holy jeans and scuffed up shoes anywhere.

She swallowed as the flowers were placed on her desk and looked up into the familiar dark eyes of Caleb Rivers. Before she could say anything, Mr. Fitz brought the class back to attention. Caleb held her eyes for just a moment and then turned to leave.

Aria, Spencer, and Emily all gave her questioning looks. A hint of a smile, the first one in days, graced Hanna's lips as she looked at the card.

_I'm sorry. Meet me after school? We need to talk._

_-Caleb_

Hanna shrugged to her friends and then went back to ignoring Mr. Fitz.

The rest of the class passed by agonizingly slow as Hanna was oblivious to the looks surrounding her. Her mind kept swirling around the fact that he was back. She wasn't sure why he was back but tried not go get her hopes up.

Once the bell finally rang, she was bombarded with questions from her friends. None of which she could answer. She truly wasn't sure what was going on or why he was back. Part of her was happy he was though.

Smiling as she left, Mona stopped her in the hall. "What is he doing back? I thought you said he left. You aren't seriously going to give him another shot are you? You can't trust him Hanna. He is bad…"

"Mona." Hanna cut her off. She had trusted her other three friends with the facts about what had happen with her and Caleb but hadn't trusted Mona with the details. She knew there was a reason for that. "I don't know what is going on but whatever happens between me and Caleb is none of your business." Hanna stepped around the shocked Mona and sauntered down the hall towards her next class, the beautiful bouquet of flowers in her arms.

The following two class periods also had deliveries in them as well. She received a teddy bear with a little crown on its head and a pink ball gown and a box of chocolates from the little shop on the corner that she always pretended to hate but really loved. Each was accompanied by a note begging her to meet him to talk.

She was surprised he was putting so much effort in speaking to her. She was a little wary though; worried that someone might be paying him to get back into her good graces. By the end of the school day, her arms were full of little trinkets, flowers, candy, and stuffed animals.

Caleb smiled as he saw her walking towards her car. She had at least kept the gifts which had to mean something right?

"Need help Princess?" Caleb stretched out his arms in an offer to help her with her booty.

Hanna turned abruptly towards Caleb who was leaning against the side of the building as if he had been waiting for her. She expected to see his normal smirk on his face but the genuine smile he was giving her made her stomach flop.

Words failed her as he stepped closer to her, taking the vase of flowers out of her arms, careful not to touch her. Her eyes flew up to meet his and she almost forgot why she had been mad at him to start with.

His eyes were dark and looked full of storming emotions that she knew were reflected in her own. She had trusted him and he had betrayed her.

"I thought you left." Hanna said lamely, swallowing to try and regain some moisture in her mouth that seemed to be a desert.

"I had or I tried to at least but I couldn't leave things like they were. I had to try. I was running away from these feelings, from this…" Caleb placed his hand on her cheek, "all I've ever done is run away and I'm sick of it. I meant what I said, I Lo-" his words were cut off when Mona walked up to the pair and pulled at Hanna.

"Hanna, you can't seriously be buying this can you? He's just trying to use you. You know that's all he was around for before. Jenna probably paid him to get back in your good graces."

Caleb sighed and adjusted the grey beanie on his head with his now free hand. "You know that's not true Hanna. You know me. Give me a chance to prove it to you."

One look at Hanna and Caleb knew she was pissed off. He almost recoiled at the look of fury on her face until he realized that it wasn't directed towards him.

"Mona, I already told you to stay the hell out of this. What happens between me and him is none of your business so if I want to forgive him I will." Hanna practically screamed at the girl was one her friend.

"I'm just looking out for you Hanna. Just like the letter, I didn't give it to you because…." Mona stopped mid-sentence realizing her mistake.

"What letter Mona?"

Mona just shrugged and looked down.

"What letter Mona?" Hanna's voice was full of venom and had her arms not been full, she would have physically attached Mona. The callousness of her voice was enough to batter Mona's normally enthusiastic demeanor.

When Mona still didn't answer, Caleb stepped in with hatred in his own voice as well. "You never gave her the letter I left?"

Mona slowly shook her head. She should have just stayed out of this like Hanna had asked. She had already lost Hanna to Aria, Emily and Spencer but they had been friends for a long time so she could kind of understand that but Hanna having the cute bad boy didn't sit well with her. The realization of why that was hit her like a ton of bricks; she was jealous.

"I'm sorry; I was just trying to protect you from more heartache." Mona replied, feeling tears well up in her own eyes. She had really messed this one up. "I miss having you as a friend and now that you have Caleb, I see even less of you." Mona took a deep breath, "I was jealous."

Hanna sighed; Mona had been there for her after Ali went missing. She hated to turn her back on a friend even if her friend had not given her Caleb's letter.

"Look. We can talk about this later okay?" Hanna said to Mona. She wasn't over what she had done by any means but she would deal with that later. Right now, Hanna wanted to handle the Caleb issue.

Mona could tell Hanna was trying to keep the anger out of her voice. She failed at it but she was at least trying. Mona nodded and turned to her car, "I will leave you two to talk. Sorry I interrupted."

Caleb rolled his eyes at how quickly girls could go from friends to enemies and vice versa. Had that been a friend of his, punches probably would have been thrown. He had never really had many friends though, probably because he was quick to throw said punches.

Caleb turned back to Hanna but still couldn't read the look on her face. "So are you still mad at me?" He hoped she could forgive him just as easily as she seemed to let the subject slide with Mona.

"I am. You really hurt me Caleb. I..." Hanna looked around and lowered her voice, "I slept with you and you betray me. I don't know if I can forgive that."

"Well will you try? I will do anything to make it up to you. I mean common, I bought you flowers, candy, and a Princess bear…" Caleb gave her another genuine smile that made the butterflies in her stomach fly around again.

"It depends."

"On what?"

"What did the note say?"

"It said I love you." Caleb's face was serious as he said the three words to her he had never told anyone else in his life.

The sharp intake of breath Hanna realized had come from her. "You what?"

"I love you Hanna. I'm so sorry about everything. As soon as I figured out that you meant something to me, I called it all off. I swear I didn't give Jenna anything and I even gave her back the money. You are what is important." Caleb one again placed his palm on her cheek and looked down into her eyes.

Hanna leaned her face into his hand and a small smile graced her lips. "I love you too."

Caleb's smile beamed so bright that it almost blinded Hanna and made his cheeks hurt. "Does this mean you forgive me?"

"No." Hanna said with a laugh "but it means I will let you try to make it up to me."

"I will take what I can get." Caleb smiled and ran his lips lightly over hers. "Let's get out of here?" He looked around the parking lot to notice many pairs of eyes on them.

Hanna nodded and led him towards her car. Once all of Caleb's gifts were tucked into the back seat and the pair was buckled in, Hanna headed towards her house feeling better than she had in days.

_Things just might be looking up after all._

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"A" looked on from across the street. Caleb was back and Hanna was happy. Sighing in defeat, "A" decided to let Hanna have this one. There were many other things that could be done to get back at the Pretty Little Quartet. _All in good time._ "A" laughed and headed back down the street. _All in good time._

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So that was the end...Did you like it? Please review! Thanks for reading :)


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